Train Strikes Abandoned Car on St. Louis County Tracks, No Injuries Reported

A passenger car left on railroad tracks at Highway 7 and Swan Lake Road in Alborn Township was struck by a Canadian National train just after 10 p.m. Monday, leaving the vehicle heavily damaged but causing no injuries, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded to the scene at about 10:10 p.m. and found the car on the tracks with no one inside. The CN train engine was not damaged in the collision. The train's occupant was also uninjured.

Authorities said a 34-year-old man from the Alborn area had apparently abandoned his vehicle on the tracks before the crash occurred. The Sheriff's Office said alcohol is believed to have played a role in the incident. The man was arrested on DWI charges following a DWI investigation.

No names or formal charging details have been released. It remains unclear whether additional charges, such as criminal endangerment or trespass on railroad property, could follow. The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office has not issued a public statement beyond the basic facts of the arrest.

Alborn Township sits roughly 30 miles northwest of Duluth, a stretch of St. Louis County where Canadian National rail lines cross rural highways at unguarded or minimally marked crossings. Whether signals or gates were active at the Highway 7 and Swan Lake Road crossing at the time of the collision has not been confirmed by authorities or CN.